Perky Goth and the Court Composer
by PerkyGoth14
Summary: What happened to Maestro Forte after the spell was broken, leaving Belle and Prince Adam to live happily ever after together? Follow Forte on his journey through time as he finds the only one to truly understand him and relate to him, which is only to be 300 years after the adventure.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Based on a series of crossover stories I used to do with two of my favorite movies that will always stick to me. I hope you like it, I only own my OC's, everyone else belongs to Disney and Richard O'Brien! I hope you like it and remember to Read & Review!**

* * *

There was a celebration held in the formerly enchanted castle. Everyone was in glee and utter delight. The place was lively, except for the music room. The music room in the West Wing was always feared by many because of the main servant who spent almost all his time in there.

Lying on the linoleum green floor was the fallen court composer of the castle with his long and silver hair with his pale, gaunt, face wrapped in his black tail coat with ivory cuffs that resembled the keys he played on his precious pipe organ. The instrument he loved more than any other. The doors opened to a creak as the man was lying on the floor, no one was sure whether he was alive or dead.

"Hey, it's me," the other human girl who was too young to fall in love with the Beast known as Cherry came in and knelt next to him. "I just thought I'd let you know your plans to keep Belle and your master from falling in love have failed. I might have a hard time forgiving you if you ever come to me to apologize for your actions. I don't know if you're alive or can even hear me, but good day. I'm off to go back home to America now after the wedding of Belle and Adam. Good bye and good luck with your life, Maestro Forte." She then got up on her feet and shut the music room doors behind her.

Unknown to her, as soon as she shut the doors, the court composer shifted and one of his eyes opened then, as if by a miracle from her coming to see him. He kneeled himself up and stood up, dusting himself clean. He cracked the door open and heard a lively celebration going on without him.

Looking down from the staircase in the ballroom, he saw that his master was no longer a vicious and furry beast, but he was a human. He looked around him and saw that everyone was human and Belle was in a golden and glittering ball gown. He looked down to his hands, the hands he had not used in ten years since the enchantress cursed them all, but mostly Master Adam. Everyone had wanted to be human again. Everybody. Except for him.

Belle and Adam were falling in love and he just didn't want that to happen, but it did. He told Adam not to fall in love... He warned him about the consequences... Now he was going to be ignored and he was right now. Forte growled and he went back inside his room, shutting the doors behind him. He wiped his eyes as he nearly let a tear roll down his cheek, he looked out the window and saw a horse-drawn carriage leaving and he took a closer look. That young girl riding in it... That was Cerise.

Forte realized that he was a nightmare of a man and often tortured Cerise when using her and his apprentice Fife for his own personal gain. He wanted to win this round between good and evil, but of course, lost. He sat on his bed, unsure of what to do now. Cerise, or Cherry rather, was the only one who only actually still paid attention to him.

Cherry had neglected her fear of him and kept seeing him. She even came to see him after the spell was broken because of that girl, Belle. He had to thank her, but she was gone off now and would probably never come back. He just knew now that he had to leave. He wasn't sure what to do exactly, but he knew that he would have to see her again.


	2. Chapter 2

After the party when the villagers went to their respective homes away from the castle, Forte sat on his bed. He watched the sun go down and it was getting dark now. He decided to leave now. If he left and told everyone about his leaving, the others would no doubt would be relieved for him to leave.

He didn't think of anything he could take with him so he just left his music room and sanctured down the stairs and went to the front door of the castle. He opened the doors and heard a dog yipping and looked down to see his master's loyal brown and white pooch.

"I'm sorry, Sultan," Forte got down on one knee, lowering down to the dog the Master considered his best friend and playmate, dogs were naturally born and raised to be as such, he gently stroked the fur of the canine. "But I cannot stay here for much longer... I must find where I belong..." he whispered before hugging the dog, he then stood back up on his feet, opened the doors and shut them behind him and decided to set off.

* * *

Forte loved Sultan himself as anyone could be attached to a dog as a non-human companion. He had always wanted a dog when he was growing up, but he couldn't have one, not any pet. His mother couldn't afford it and they were dirt poor. Madame Felicity Forte had to raise three children on her own with no father figure, it was such a problem, he remembered that she had to send them away to live with a family friend and his young daughter. The family was not as rich as the castle was, but they were richer than the Forte clan.

That's all he was, just someone destined to be alone for all eternity. He wondered if Cherry would still accept him after all these years, he had to wonder what she was up to these days. She was a mere 10-year-old little girl when they first met, will she had grown up? He found her to be very sweet and innocent, he was never drawn to children before, except of course for his niece that was born from his sister, Angelina.

Angelina was being forced to marry someone she didn't know or loved at the time, but Angelina, she determined to be a mature young woman, went along with it and allowed herself to marry the suitor. However, when she did, they gave birth to their first and onyl child and the man known as Pierre became very abusive towards her, because he, like many men at this time, wanted a boy and only boys.

After Chantal's birth, Pierre would beat Angelina almost all the time, but about a year or two after, he finally accepted it and Chantal was allowed to visit her uncle. Braxton was too busy with his own private business in which he never saw the family again after, so Forte was Angelina's only hesitant and reluctant offer. Before Chantal died from the snowstorm and Forte was blamed for the death of his sister's only child, Angelina and Pierre made it clear that they never wanted to see him again, and so they didn't, they both died of natural causes about 20 or 30 years after the incident.

So many years... Speaking of so many years, Forte had realized that Cherry was from the 21st century and somehow stumbled into the 18th century. Could he still find her after 300 years? Yes, he could. You see, Forte had a reason he survived from his crash when he tried to destroy the castle since Belle and Adam brought Christmas back to the castle and he was distracted by his own greed, he didn't realize what he was doing. He was bitten...

He wasn't a mortal anymore long before he accepted the job of becoming a private tutor and musician for the castle back when the King and Queen were still alive, a vampiress named Mavis had bitten him, she claimed that she was in love with him, but she only wanted his blood. Not the first time he had his heart broken... He remembered when he had fallen in love with his former mentor's visiting granddaughter, but he never had the courage to come clean about it and she fell in love with some stranger... It wouldn't be until he met Belle that that very woman, was Belle's future mother.

* * *

Those many things haunted Forte's mind and made him believe in love and romance being a sham. For who could ever love someone such as him? After long years and centuries passing by him and he didn't pay attention to a lot of things happening, Forte had come to the future and was about to give up. He saw a house far from across the yard of a church and decided to settle into it. The church was nearly abandoned, there were cobwebs everywhere and possibly collecting dust for many decades.

He decided to change it up a little and make the place more of his own into a custom living area. There was even a kitchen in the back and even if it wasn't a pipe organ, there was a piano in the other room where there were seats to listen and join in prayer, but since this church was nearly abandoned, he could probably convert it into a bed of some type. He nearly gave up looking for that girl Cherry, but perhaps he could start a new life for himself around this smallish neighborhood. He heard what sounded like a van pass by and he looked out the window on the back door and looked across the street.

There was a moving van going to the brick house across the street. There was a gorgeous couple, the man looked a lot older than the woman, but they still seemed so happy together. There came out what looked like a high school student female. She had a black-hooded jacket with sweatpants, and sneakers and she had glasses. Forte blinked at the student in particular. It had to be, but it couldn't be...

"Cerise...?" Forte whispered under his breath.


	3. Chapter 3

Cherry lugged some boxes that had her stuff in it, helping herself and her parents officially move in. Forte was surprised to had finally found Cherry just as he was on the verge of giving up. Even if she had grown up a little bit. She had to have been at least 14 or 15 by now... And likely, with a boyfriend... How could anyone refuse someone as precious as that?

A while after unpacking and moving some furniture into Bud's childhood home, they were finally done. Cherry told her parents that she would just like to lie down and relax for a little while until dinner.

Forte was pondering what to do now. "H-How do I get her here? Does she even remember me?" he paced a little, fiddling with his hair a bit which was something he did when he was nervous. "Would she even want to see me again?" he sighed as he didn't know what to do and how to plan this reunion, he just played his music, sounding very dreary as always in the process.

* * *

Cherry was adjusting to moving in. They had moved a couple of times before that she remembered, but something had always stayed with her. It was close to Winter Break from school now and she would be in school for until then. That meant it was close to Christmas. Halloween was her favorite holiday, but she of course also enjoyed Christmas. Who couldn't enjoy Christmas?

Since it was close to Christmas, Cherry shut her eyes and thought of it. However, it brought back a haunting Christmas memory in her dreams that she had been dreaming of for a long time around Christmas since... 'The Enchanted Christmas' happened... When she closed her eyes, all she saw was the tall and horrifying pipe organ that was Maestro Forte.

* * *

She had always thought that it was a dream that she went to a castle with a new friend named Belle who had fallen in love with a beast with enchanted furniture for servants. She could hear that insane evil laugh as the castle was coming down with the dooming organ melodies that came with it, it set chills down her spine. The evil pipe organ who wanted everyone who believed in love and hope to be dead.

Cherry sat up, panting heavily and sweated in her sleep, grabbing her chest as her heart was racing in it. It was all a dream, wasn't it? There was no way that all could have been real. She wasn't sure what to believe in. It must have been stress of moving away from her childhood home and now living into a new environment that was usually a vacation spot for the summer and where her dad's family lived. She was living in her past memories, such as dreams that seemed to happen every December for some odd reason. Why would she have such life-threatening nightmares on a joyful holiday like Christmas?

* * *

"Cherry, dinner's ready!" Michelle called to her daughter.

"C-Coming!" Cherry called back, she rushed to her new bathroom and looked in the mirror, splashing some cool water in her face.

Due to the colder weather, the water was automatically cold, unlike summer where you needed a dozen of ice cubes to cool down a glass of water. Why was she having these dreams and why were they still haunting her, even after so long since she remembered the Enchanted Christmas? Cherry was almost never bothered by her nightmares that much before, but then again, that's because she talked about them with her now in college older brother and her loving parents. Cherry actually never told them about the nightmares she had been having around Christmastime for almost as long as she can remember. She had to find out where these strange nightmares were coming from, but how?


	4. Chapter 4

"Mom, Dad, can I ask you a question?" Cherry asked as she got a plate filled with barbecue sauce dripping ribs with creamy mashed potatoes, and her mother's famous macaroni and cheese.

"Is it about why we moved here?" Michelle asked, she had a thinking feeling that her daughter would ask that, Cherry had asked that when they moved before.

"N-No, not that..." Cherry said as she took a quick bite, unable to resist the smell of her mom's wonderful cooking as she nearly drooled with it being only inches away from her face. "Mom... Do you remember me... Spending Christmas away from home when I was a kid...Well, okay, younger...?"

Bud and Michelle blinked and exchanged glances with each other. Should they tell her or not.

"W-What do you mean, sweetie?" Michelle asked.

"Well, I've been having these dreams lately..." Cherry came clean, but didn't exactly bring up the pipe organ, she felt stupid for finding herself to be afraid of a musical instrument. "There was a castle... This beast... And this girl who loved books... W-We got trapped in the castle, and..."

Michelle smiled softly, after all these years, her daughter still had an overactive imagination. "Oh, sweetie, that must have been a childhood dream."

"A dream?" Cherry blinked to her parents. "B-But it felt so real..."

"Dreams can be like that," Bud smiled gently to his youngest child in admiration. "Especially when you're a little kid. You probably just got overwhelmed about moving again, that you were thinking of being a little kid again."

Cherry shrugged, that kind of made sense. "Maybe you're right, Dad..."

Bud chuckled in victory, making his wife and daughter laugh a little with him. The family quietly continued to eat their dinner. Little did Cherry know, those dreams were in fact real. They weren't just childhood dreams, they were things that had really happened to her. She really wondered though and since these dreams were set about three centuries ago, there could be no way of finding out for sure. After dinner, the family talked about a new school for Cherry to be going into and Cherry was a little nervous already.

* * *

Being the new kid in school was always a tough thing for someone to go through. For some reason, no one really talked with the new kid, it was like some law that was lay upon school grounds for the already familiar and old students. By chance or luck though, there would be a new friend and Cherry was going into high school already. The baby of the family was becoming a woman.

Cherry still wondered about her dreams as they plagued her mind. Hopefully this Christmas though, she would actually be in a pleasant mood. She had always looked forward to the holiday break for times before, but she had the worst nightmares she could ever imagine. Why were they still haunting her year after year? At least she talked about them. Even now as a young teenager, she needed help from her parents and of course, the endless emotional support they could offer. Maybe hopefully by this December, they would go away and she could rest in peace for a change.


	5. Chapter 5

Cherry's first day of school was nearly successful. Many days passed until the incoming winter break. When the month reached December, all the months and days before, she convinced herself her adventure between the beauty and the beast was merely a dream and nothing more. Nothing more... It made her feel like Edgar Allen Poe with that Raven, though the raven would quoth 'never more'. Cherry had been very gothic lately and was rarely in a good mood, but every now and then, she would be.

Cherry found herself to become as they call a perky goth. Her new friend who was named Laura got her into gothic subculture and Laura found Cherry to be the only person she didn't feel like biting in the face or threatening to keep away from her personal space. Cherry spent a lot of time alone in her bedroom, she rarely went out with her parents and was getting more and more dark and gothic as she let on.

She didn't even seem to think about her nightmares that happened every day closer to Christmas. Perhaps she was getting over them. Bud and Michelle went to another meeting as Michelle was on the city council and they were to attend every meeting. Luckily for Cherry, she didn't have to go if she didn't want to and that usually meant being in her room with her computer or TV to do whatever she pleased. However, today felt different.

* * *

Cherry could have sworn she heard ominous music playing. It sounded eerily familiar, but she couldn't place where she had heard it. She bookmarked the book she was reading and decided to go see the source of it. Hopefully she would be back before her parents would come back with dinner so she wouldn't worry them about her not being home while they were away.

She opened the door and closed it behind her as she heard the music coming from the church across the yard. But how could that be? The church has been empty for many decades before she moved in with her parents. Cherry then did something she wouldn't do again due to a worrying experience with her parents when she left the house to go to the playground that was in their home before this one: she left anyway without leaving a message or calling her parents ahead of time about it.

Cherry was sure she would be back by the time her parents would be ready to come back though. She kept walking up the small hill that was in the yard across from her home. She was right, the music was coming from the church, she heard the music get stronger and stronger. It sounded hauntingly familiar, but she just couldn't figure out where she had heard it before. Cherry was a little nervous, it felt like one of her childhood nightmares.

The high school student opened the door, it slightly creaking, but the music continued. It sounded even stronger once she opened the door. She looked around and saw the church was a little remodeled and it looked a bit cleaner. There was also something cooking in the church kitchen. Cherry looked very curious as she gasped, seeing someone in front of the rustic piano, playing it. It was as though the piano had not been played in over 20 years, in fact, it hadn't, until this stranger came to it.

* * *

Cherry walked closer and closer to the figure who had his back turned. She felt as though she had never seen this person before, but the tune was familiar. It was slowly coming back to her with the cold brisk air, letting her hair fly back slightly and feel cold on her skin exposed to the dropped temperatures of winter. Finally, the song finished as the musician was stopping, having a slight stretch as he let his fingers finish their dance on the keyboard that he had desired to play after so long with his own two hands and not by enchanted black magic.

Forte felt a disturbance and slowly turned to the girl, his eyes grew wide as he actually didn't expect company. He was trying to muster up the courage to talk with this girl and now she was right there in front of him. And she was all grown up, not exactly an adult, but spending her final four years in a school system until her graduation and she would then be on her way to the next step in her life that was adulthood. Cherry might not have ever seen Forte as a human, but she saw him and they were now face-to-face. Even if he wasn't an organ anymore, she had to admit he did look rather familiar.

"Maestro Forte...?" Cherry whispered, a little in shock.

Forte blinked in response to her. "Bonjour, Cerise..."

Cherry stepped back, this had to be a dream. "No, no, you're not real! You're not real!"

Forte glanced at her. What did she mean to say that he wasn't real? Of course he was real, he was right there, wasn't he? Cherry kept being in denial and tried to wake herself up from this possible nightmare.

"Cerise, calm yourself," Forte stood over her, taking her hands as she used them to slap her face awake. "This is no dream..." he then assured her.

"It has to be..." Cherry whispered, looking back up at the ancient man. "Besides... You can't be alive..."

"It's a long story about that, but Cerise, please listen to me, you are not dreaming..."

"I'm... I'm not...?"

"No..." Forte whispered. "You're not... I... I've been looking for you ever since you left the castle... It's a long story how I came here, but I've been looking for you ever since..."

"Why would you wanna look for me?" Cherry was angry with him now. "Just wanna torment me more?"

"Non, Cerise... I-I wanted to say I'm sorry for abusing you like that when you were a little girl..."

"What...?" Cherry never thought she would hear Forte apologize based on the adventure she had about five or six years ago now.

"I wanted to say sorry to you," Forte helped her up and dusted her precious jacket clean. "I shouldn't have tried to hurt you... I didn't mean to... And I shouldn't have hurt Belle or the Master..." he then decided to give her a cool glass of water to relax her thoughts to process this in her overwhelmed mind.

Cherry had a bunch of questions for him now. But for once in her life, she didn't feel afraid of him. When Forte came back with the glass of water, she gently took it and drank it down slowly, slightly shaking still, whether by the cold weather or her childhood nightmares was a mystery right now.

"Forte, no offense, but how are you here?" Cherry asked. "First thing's first, we all saw you fell to the floor and no one's seen you since, even after everyone became human again..."

"I never did die," Forte replied to her. "Cerise... This will sound surprising to you... But I am immortal."

Cherry's eyes widened. "H-How?"

"It's a long story for now... I just beg for your forgiveness, you're the only one I could really apologize to for my actions," Forte explained softly. "I actually didn't wake up until after you left."

"Why me?"

"You were the only one who came back for me," Forte looked down at her, remembering that very detail before he set himself on this journey to the future. "Nobody else even dared to show their face to me or even talk about me..."

"How did you know what I said or did? You were knocked out..."

"I heard you."

Cherry blinked in surprise. "So, you just left like that? No one knows you're here?"

Forte sharply exhaled. "They probably think I'm dead... And it's probably for the best. I tried to look for you because of this... I was about to give up... But then I saw you moved across the church yard here..."

"Yeah, this church's been abandoned for a long time," Cherry said as she sipped her water. "I-I just can't believe you're alive... So, that beauty and the beast adventure I had really happened?"

"Oui," Forte nodded. "I don't know what your parents told you, but yes... It really happened... And I'm here and I'm very glad to see you again. I'm not asking you to accept my apology, but I just ask that you think about it... Now you better be off, your parents might be home any minute..."

Cherry stood up and sipped her drink, placing the glass on the church kitchen counter. "Thank you, Forte..." she said quietly.

"I hope to see more of you in the future, Cerise... And I'm very sorry of the nightmares I caused you."

Cherry blinked at him. She wasn't sure what to say about that, but she got herself home before her parents would come to the front door in worry that she wasn't home. This was a very surprising turn of events, she wasn't sure how to feel about reuniting with Forte, but one thing was for sure that he was glad he at least got to say sorry to her. He also noticed that puberty had been kind to her and she grew to be a beautiful young teenager and would be a very beautiful looking woman when the time would be right.


	6. Chapter 6

Bud and Michelle were introduced to Forte when it was closer to Christmas time. He thought it would be best if they knew who he was since he mentioned that he would like to become a mentor for their daughter and possibly help her get out of depression.

Forte explained who he was and it shocked the parents, but they accepted him once they got used to him. It was the day before Winter Break when Cherry went to school, so Bud and Michelle agreed that for an hour or two after school and up to three or four on weekends, Cherry would meet with Forte.

She would have to do what he would want her to and they would work on their relationship with each other. Forte really wanted to become Cherry's friend and make up for the trouble he caused her with her first official Christmas away from home, or as Cherry would dub it: The Enchanted Christmas.

Michelle also felt a hint of nostalgia that Forte had played organ and she mentioned when she was younger, she had lessons for it in her church growing up and thought Cherry could take lessons as well and Forte had also wanted to teach her the French language. Bud and Michelle would have to work late tonight, so they asked Forte if he could actually leave the church and go into their house since Cherry wanted to stay home and have dinner, but he would have to make it. He, of course, agreed.

* * *

Cherry was in her bedroom, lying on the bed, but she kept the door open after her parents left so she could let Forte inside the house. When she heard the knocking, she stopped what she was doing and went to the door, unlocking it, and letting the over 300 year old man inside her family home.

"Bonjour, Cerise." Forte greeted.

"Erm... Bonjour, Maestro..." Cherry greeted in the best French she could muster.

"Comment allez-vous?" Forte then asked.

"Uhhh..." Cherry had no idea what he just said to her as she turned on the lights so they wouldn't be left in total darkness.

"I'll just take it that you're fine," Forte chuckled, teasing her for not yet being bilingual, but he was hoping he could change that. "What are you hungry for, Cerise?"

"I dunno..."

"When I was a child, if we said that if someone asked us if we were hungry, we'd get nothing to eat."

"Is that why you're skin and bones?" Cherry chuckled.

Forte rolled his eyes slightly, then turned on the stove light. "I heard your mother say that you like chicken and rice in the oven..."

"Yeah, I do..."

"Why don't I make that?" Forte suggested as he took out the ingredients. "You want to help me?"

"Not really..." Cherry said as she sat at the kitchen table.

"That's the problem with _your_ generation..."

"Yeah..." Cherry said, she went back to her room and went on her desktop computer.

Forte sighed, he then got to cooking. He filled the broccoli rice with water and added in the vegetables with the frozen chicken. Once he got the oven preheated and he carefully stuck the food into the oven, he went down the hall and found Cherry's room. He saw her and it looked as though her eyes were glued to the screen. He gently knocked on the door.

* * *

"Huh?" Cherry blinked, looking back to him. "Oh, hey... How's dinner?"

"I just put it into the oven," Forte said, coming closer to her, very curious of the large device in front of her. "Cerise, pray tell, what is that thing?"

"What thing?" Cherry looked around.

"That thing," Forte pointed to the monitor of Cherry's computer as it had a lot of colorful images on it. "What is that?"

Cherry slightly rolled her eyes. "It's a computer... You're over 300 years old and you never seen or heard of one?"

"I was too busy focusing on finding you," Forte chuckled sheepishly. "Perhaps while I help you with organ and your French vocabulary skills, you could help me grasp on modern technology..."

"Uhh... Sure..." Cherry shrugged, but she agreed with it. Maybe that way her visits with him would be a little more enjoyable.

* * *

About half an hour later, Forte went to collect dinner. Cherry sniffed the dinner she really liked and had to admit it was very lovely tasting. Forte scooped her up a nice helping and served her as he let her sit at the table and he would let her eat that way.

"Forte, you don't have to serve me like this..." Cherry said as the plate was gently placed in front of her with a fork and a knife.

"I insist, Cerise, it's the least I can do." Forte said, sitting across from her.

Cherry noticed he had no plate nor food. "Aren't you going to eat?"

"I don't need to eat to survive, Cerise, besides... You should eat... I know you're trying to lose weight because of your loneliness and solitude, but you shouldn't starve yourself..."

Cherry took out her fork and started to eat the chicken and rice, expecting it to taste like her mother's since it was the same recipe. However, it tasted a little different in some parts. She even liked this better than her mother's own preparation of the delicacy.

"How is it?" Forte asked delicately.

Cherry happily moaned as she placed the silverware own once she finished her evening meal. "This is incredible... I didn't know you could cook."

"How do you think I survived in the church for three months?" Forte rhetorically asked. "Do you really like it?"

"Yeah, I just never took you one to be in the kitchen..."

"Well, the Master already had Chef Bouche and Mrs. Potts with their assistants Chaud and Tres, so there was no need for me to cook," Forte gave a shrug to her. "I'm glad you like it though."

"You should open up a diner or something..."

"Well, I hope to cook for you more in the future then..." Forte smiled to her as she finished eating.

About fifteen minutes later, Cherry finished eating and felt very full. Forte asked her questions about school and she very hesitantly answered them.


	7. Chapter 7

Even if Cherry didn't want to admit it, she and Forte had become reasonably close with each other. Forte still wanted to teach Cherry about vocabulary and playing the organ while Cherry would help him out with the modern world and how much the world had changed for the past 300 years he supposedly missed out on.

Forte still wanted to spend time with the girl and get to know her better, he wanted to also make up for the fact that he had caused her terrible nightmares around Christmas time, which was now around the corner and it reminded him of the trouble and pain he had caused her and many other innocent people. Bud and Michelle also wanted Cherry out of the house more, so she came to the church once she officially decided to come by.

* * *

"Cerise, what a pleasant surprise..." Forte said to her as she came to the front door. "What brings you along?"

"My WiFi and cable are out..." Cherry replied rather darkly and unwillingly.

"Oh... What a shame... Come inside..." Forte invited her in as he hid wire cutters, letting her inside the church.

Cherry looked around, humming. The church nearly looked neat now and it looked like a comfortable living area now. "Forte, I must say I'm impressed..." she spoke up gently, without an inch of iciness or sarcasm in her voice.

"Merci beaucop, Cerise..." Forte said as he went to the kitchen of the church. "Can I interest you in something to drink?"

"What do you have?"

"There's milk... Water... Tea... That fizzy drink you children are so fond of these days..."

"Fizzy drink?" Cherry had a snort. "I heard people in London call that soda..."

"It is..." Forte said, deciding to get her some of that, and put in a straw, knowing her preference, then walked over with a wine glass filled with dark red liquid inside of it for himself, handing her glass to her. "My family was English."

"Really?" Cherry asked before she took a sip.

"Oui," Forte nodded in memory. "You see... Before I was born, we lived in England... Then when I was born, my family immigrated to France so my maman could look for work... The older I got, the more busy she was... My siblings taunting me... And I couldn't even go to school..."

"I still can't believe you had brothers and sisters, you seemed like an only child..."

"Well, I suppose I am now..." Forte shrugged, then took a sip of his own drink. "But I'll be okay... Sometimes I do wish though that I met the girl of my dreams and got married... Maybe have children..."

"I didn't take you to be a kid person, Maestro..."

Forte hid a chuckle once she called him his favored title in his name's history. "Well... I've always wanted a child, but I could never find the right one... Especially after my lost love..."

"Whatever happened to her?"

Forte heaved a sharp sigh. "She married someone else... But I do know she led a happy life until her untimely death... And had a beautiful girl named Belle..."

Cherry's eyes widened.

"Oh, didn't I mention that?" Forte glanced to her, slightly amused. "My one true love was Belle's mother... I was going to ask her out once I found the courage to, but I heard wedding bells from the church across the street and saw her with that 'crackpot inventor', Maurice."

Cherry blinked at him, unsure of what else to do, she patted his hand, shaking the chills. "Ooh, your skin is so cold..." she flinched suddenly and slightly.

"Yes... It often is..."

"Even now that it's a little warmer in here?"

"I don't know what to tell you, Cerise... Maybe sometime I will..."

"Is that just what comes with being immortal?"

"Never mind it... How are you today?"

"I guess I'm okay," Cherry shrugged as she took another sip of her drink. "Mom and Dad don't know when they'll be back tonight..."

"Maybe I could spend the night with you?"

Cherry choked slightly from that and coughed, wiping her mouth as her soda nearly spilled over her.

"Bless you, Cerise..." Forte blinked a little surprised, then set his glass on his seat as he stood up. "Perhaps I should fetch you some serviettes." he said before going off.

Cherry snorted and tried to clean herself up. "Get me some WHAT!?"

Forte came back, hiding something behind his back. "Napkins..."

"Well... Give them to me."

"Ask nicely..."

Cherry glanced at him, then sighed. "Maestro, may I-"

"Ah, ah, ah," Forte waved his finger. "In Francias, sil vous plait."

"Ugh..." Cherry put her hand to her face. "Why can't I speak English like a normal person? It's not like I'm ever gonna use this French stuff!"

"That's what your mother said..." Forte lightly chuckled. "Now, Cerise..."

Cherry groaned and snatched the napkins from him, then wiped herself clean and dry. "Nobody around here speaks French, you know... Why do I have to learn it?"

"It was part of the deal, my dear... I teach you how to play organ and speak French in exchange for you teaching me about the 21st century."

"Yeah, yeah..." Cherry then went to the kitchen sink since she was now slightly sticky. "What's French for 'you smell like cow butt'? Cuz a lot of boys in my school need to learn that one."

Forte slightly rolled his eyes at her, he liked her, he really did, but sometimes she was an immature little thing, though a lot more mature than anyone else in her school system.

* * *

It got really dark and still no sign of Cherry's parents. Forte decided to cook them up some dinner. Cherry was getting very bored since she didn't have a computer or television with her to keep her occupied, but while she sat along, Forte told her some more stories. He also shared some of the history he grew up around before Prince Adam had been born and how close he was with the King and Queen before their unfortunate passing.

"So the Beast's real name is Adam?" Cherry asked, that stuck out more to her than anything else she was told about so far.

"Oui," Forte nodded as he decided to make hot chicken soup as it was starting to rain and with the snow, it seemed very miserable. Poor Cherry's parents to be out in the cold and rain with it being closer and closer to Christmas. "The King and Queen were Gabrielle and Elaine."

"Um... What happened to them?"

"The Queen died in childbirth and the King was killed in battle..." Forte replied dryly, remembering it all too well. "The King was nearly the only friend I ever had... When you go to school, Cerise, you remind me so much of myself in the castle... No one really talked with me, I was a little anti-social... When the Master was a child, he heard me play my instrument one evening and I decided to give him lessons."

"Did Fife help you?" Cherry remembered the little piccolo who was very close to the musician.

"Oh, non, non," Forte shook his head, he lifted his ladle briefly to have a small taste of his broth, then put in some seasoning before stirring it all over again. "This was before Fife was even born..."

"Oh, I thought he was an adult...?"

"Non, he was merely a teenager when he came to look for work in the castle... He became my apprentice... There were others like Tubaloo and Concertina, but I preferred to work alone... Fife was afraid of me a little..."

"I don't blame him..." Cherry murmured under her breath as she stared out the window, she felt it seemed as though her parents wouldn't be able to make it home before she would go to bed tonight.

* * *

Forte finished stirring the soup as a large puff of steam rose from the pot, he then poured some soup into a bowl. "Come and get your supper, Cerise..." he called to her gently and quietly.

Cherry walked over and took a bowl with a spoon it. "Um... Maestro... Do you think my parents are okay?"

"I'm sure they're fine, Cerise..." Forte said to her gently as he went to sit across from her and talk with her, he always enjoyed listening to her talk for a change.

Cherry started to eat. Forte of course asked her some things and she would answer the best she could. Her voice sounded a bit louder and more vocal since they would have their talks. Usually if Cherry wouldn't talk during the day, her voice would be very soft and barely audible.

"Cerise, I'm sorry I was so mean to you before... I was just angry..." Forte said, feeling guilty for being her nightmare fuel for most of her childhood and that first Christmas holiday she had to spend without her parents being traumatic enough.

"Ah, don't worry about it..." Cherry said softly as she finished sipping down her broth, trying not to be messy with it. "I'm over it now that we're actually talking with each other."

Forte liked the sound of that, he was actually smiling nicely and not evil for a change. "How's the soup?"

Cherry paused before answering, then put on a French accent for him. "Magnifique."

Forte couldn't help but chuckle.

"What's so funny?"

"Oh, nothing... It's just... You're so cute when you speak French."

Cherry slightly rolled her chocolate-brown eyes. "Yawn."

* * *

Forte checked the time after cleaning up the dishes. "It's quite late, Cerise... Plus there is a storm out there..."

"I know..." Cherry said softly as she looked out the window, it looked impossible to go out and get back home to sleep. "I guess I'll have to stay here..."

"You can sleep in my bed," Forte opened the church office door to show that he had converted it into a bedroom. "I insist..."

Cherry looked up at him. "Where will you sleep?"

"Don't worry about me... I also figured you would sleep her sometime..." Forte went to his closet, then took out a frilly white nightgown.

"Looks like something the girl wore in Phantom of the Opera."

"Aw, Christine, I knew her well..." Forte said softly.

"Pardon?" Cherry glanced at him, questionably.

"That's a story for another time... Now, get into this... I'll wash your clothes..."

"Um, thanks, Maestro..." Cherry said as she took the nightgown.

Forte looked away, covering his eyes with one hand and held out his free arm to take her clothes. "It's my pleasure, Cerise..."

* * *

Cherry got undressed and handed him her clothes. She then flattered down the nightgown, not really fond of it, but it would have to do.

"Now, if you need anything, Cerise..." Forte said as he got a clean glass of water for her, knowing that she would need one to help her slumber. "Don't hesitate to ask me... Bon nuit, Cerise..." he said quietly before turning out the light and shutting the door to let her stay for the night.

"Good night, Maestro..." Cherry said softly as she took a drink, then nestled down in her bed.

Cherry had to wonder why Forte was being so nice to her suddenly... Perhaps he just felt guilty for what he had done to her and the others all those years ago. Either way, like before, she didn't want to admit it, but he was actually growing on her and they were now sharing a sacred bond. It was like mentor and apprentice like Forte used to have with Fife. Perhaps they could actually become something more... Like... Friends.


	8. Chapter 8

Cherry's parents had apologized about missing their daughter and that the storm was so bad. They actually did make it home at around 2:00 in the morning and Forte had told them that Cherry was with him and was sleeping peacefully.

* * *

About four days later, it was now Christmas Eve night. Cherry actually asked her parents for a change if she could go over and see Forte and she was allowed to.

"Cerise, this is really a surprise..." Forte said to her.

"I know..." Cherry droned like her usual goth self, then extended her hands from behind her back and gave him a wrapped up box. "Merry Christmas, Maestro."

"O-Oh, you have a present for me...?" Forte was a little surprised, he took the gift. "Oh, Cerise... I couldn't..."

"I insist..." Cherry said to him, being as gentle as she could, she seemed to had become more of a perky goth the more time she spent with the man.

Forte walked in the church and she willingly came behind him. It seemed as though Cherry was slowly reverting back to her old self. When Forte sat down at his seat by the organ, he unwrapped the paper and saw it was a biography on the famed composer: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

"Cerise..." Forte whispered. "Where on Earth did you get this?"

"I might've spent some money I kept locked away in my room..." Cherry shrugged, shuffling her foot in the marble floor.

"Cerise, you didn't have to do this..."

I know... Merry Christmas..."

Forte nodded his head. "Joyeux Noel... I-I wish I could have gotten you something..."

"Don't worry about it, I don't need presents to be happy."

"Cerise, the weather is so doomy and gloomy and yet you seem like your sweet and innocent self like you once were."

Cherry shrugged. "I don't know why... I'm not too fond of warm weather... Summer's so hot and buggy while Spring just makes me sneeze my guts out... Metaphorically speaking of course..."

Forte blinked in slight surprise. "I-I feel exactly the same way... In fact, my favorite months are October, November, and December..." he then shrugged with a small smile. "The dreary weather inspires me more..."

"I feel the same way," Cherry shrugged as she slightly gave him better eye contact than she used to. "Only, I'm more inspired to write stories and poetry..."

"You write poetry, Cerise?"

"Yes, I do... No one ever wants to read my stuff though..."

Forte put his book up on a shelf, then stood by her and put his arm around her, making her look up at him. "I would. How about on one of your lessons after tomorrow, you bring me your poems?"

"Maestro-"

"Cerise, you know I believe in you..."

Cherry stared at the floor, brushing some of her hair behind her own ear. "I suppose... Alright... Well, I better get back home then..."

"All right," Forte let her go. "Have a happy holiday, Cerise..."

"You too, Maestro." Cherry said before she went out the door.

Forte watched her leave and he smiled. He then walked over to collect the book she gave him and decided to read it to pass the time for himself since the stores were closed and there wasn't much else he could do, but he was going to allow Cherry to spend the day at home tomorrow since it was Christmas Day.


	9. Chapter 9

Cherry was often in a good mood, but for wrong reasons. She had become fascinated and obsessed with death, possibly due to spending so much time with Forte. He was a little worried he had caused her once sweet and innocent self into beliving this, so he decided to have a talk with her.

"C-Cerise... I admit, I like you better this way, but... You're frightening your family..." Forte said as he read her graphic poetry about how she viewed death, quite similarly to how he related to it.

"Forte, I've been like that for a long time..."

Forte gulped at that, perhaps he was the cause. "Erm... Cerise, I don't know what I did for sure to make you behave this way... But... I'll stop it... We could decrease our time together..."

Cherry glanced at him. "Forte, I told you, I've been this way for as long as I can remember..."

"Whatever do you mean?"

* * *

Cherry sighed, she wasn't sure how else to explain this to him. She then took his hand and walked him out of the church. Forte shieleded his eyes with his free hand as they walked along the snow that seemed to take forever to melt away into Spring. Cherry dug into Forte's coat pocket and took out his key to the house and unlocked it to open her home door.

"Cerise, where are we going?" Forte asked her quietly, wiping his now wet shoes across the front door carpet to not leave stains inside the house he was a guest to for right now anyway.

Cherry didn't speak to him again. She just led him down the hallway and went into her mother's office. She wouldn't mess around with too much, but she took out her childhood items. Such as her early grade school art projects.

Forte took the papers, opening the portfolio Cherry had made herself when she was very young, as young as Kindergarten up to the third grade, they had first met when she was in the middle of her fourth grade career of school. Forte flipped all around and he kept seeing disturbing images that were very graphic for someone's young age to be subjected into.

Forte kept looking in shock and he saw children's crayon drawings of a graphic depiction of death. All her saw were corpses and blood lying with the body. He had never known Cherry was that dark, even as a little kid.

* * *

"I've always been obsessed with death..." Cherry explained as he looked through her childhood drawings. "I don't know why, I just was... Even long before I met you, Maestro... I didn't even believe in love..."

Forte put the papers down and looked back to her, he put his hand on his chest as he felt something he never really paid attention to or noticed before. Especially since he saw Cherry again after all these years and after she had now hit puberty and was now a high school student. He felt his heart beat for her.

"That's... Impressive..." Forte said as he gave her back her papers. "Did someone close to you maybe pass away?"

Cherry shrugged. "My only grandparent died when I was two."

Forte flinched. Ah, maybe that was it. No one could say really. Even though his biological father was long deceased now, he was still curious of what the man known as Vincent Forte was like. All he would hear from his siblings was that he left because of his birth. His mother assured him though that he left because of her and not his birth since he was born from an affair, but he kept surname.

"Cerise... Were you always this dark?" Forte asked.

"I guess you could say that..." Cherry shrugged, unsure herself. "My parents also own the cemetery... Sometimes I go with them and I think it's peaceful... I get to be among my ancestors, sometimes I just go alone..."

"Ever have a picnic there?"

Cherry gave him a look.

"Just a suggestion," Forte shrugged in return to her, getting used to doing that gesture since he had never known what it meant until she told him. "You get excited when it's dreary and rainy, but depressed when it's sunshine..."

"Guess that means I'm goth."

"That would make me one too..." Forte had a small, visible smile down to her. "You're still nice here and there though... You would make a wonderful wife and mother..."

Cherry snorted in disbelief as she walked away from him, turning her back at him. "Who'd wanna marry me?"

Forte watched her go, he was just amazed by her and stunned. She was only sixteen-years-old, though he found himself fascinated with her. Even though she was ignoring him now, he actually felt like for the first time in literally centuries that he was in love. Could it be possible that Maestro Forte was falling in love with a mere 'peasant' girl?

Forte didn't want to be rude about this, but he couldn't see Cherry really going out with anybody in her school. A lot of the boys thought she was either disgusting or just delusional. It probably made her believe romance was a sham like he had once told Adam to get him to get over Belle.

* * *

"You know, Forte, if I have to be stuck from someone in my past..." Cherry said softly, before looking back at him, rather emotionless as always. "I'm sort of glad it's you."

Forte's face turned bright red as he grabbed his chest again. Was she really glad to have been 'stuck' with him or was she just saying that to make him feel better? "Umm... Cerise... Do you suppose we could skip a lesson for a day?"

Cherry gave him a look.

"There's no hope or chance of sunshine next week," Forte rubbed his arm nervously. "Perhaps, we could have that picnic in the cemetery?"

"A picnic with you?"

"If you don't want to, I understand... I'll let you think about it... We can have anything you want to eat... But on one condition..."

Cherry looked angst at this already.

"No technology on you..." Forte told her strictly. "I want to spend time with you and you alone... And I want to talk with you..."

Cherry heaved a sharp sigh, slightly rolling her eyes.

"Cerise..." Forte snapped at her, nearly glaring at her for doing that action.

"Sorry..." Cherry spoke to him, she then looked up at him. "Can I think about it?"

"Oui, of course you may..." Forte gave a nod, deciding to actually let her decide and wouldn't meddle in her social media life if she didn't want to attend. After all, she had a week to decide.


	10. Chapter 10

Forte didn't expect Cherry to come over next week. He had a picnic basket ready, but he decided to play at his organ alone since he told Cherry that there would be no lessons today. However, to his surprise, as he played, he felt a tap on his back, he then looked behind him to see the young perky goth.

"Cerise, what are you doing here?" Forte asked in surprise.

"You wanna have that picnic or what?"

Forte visibly smiled to her. "What brings you here?" he nearly snorted at first. "Your electricity go out?"

"Nah, I really had nothing better to do," Cherry shrugged, then picked up the basket and grunted as she nearly hit the floor with it. "Geez, what's in this thing, rocks?"

"You wish," Forte teased as he picked it back up with her as they went for the door before he locked it after them. "There's chicken cordon bleu."

"What's that?"

"Oh, Cerise, it's absolutely wonderful... You would probably love it... There's chicken with melted fromage and jambon."

Cherry smiled a little hungrily for a change since she was starving herself these days, she used to eat obsessively before he came back into the picture because she was so painfully lonely. "Ham and cheese..."

Forte blinked at her, then smiled. "You remembered your French..."

Cherry's eyes widened. "No, I didn't..."

Forte laughed as he carried the basket with her to the neighborhood cemetery, even in a deathly place like this could keep him in a good mood. Cherry and Forte kept walking and they tried to find a nice spot. Cherry found a familiar burial name, in fact, it had her birth name on it.

* * *

"Who's this?" Forte couldn't help but ask.

"My great-grandmother," Cherry explained as they sat down together, getting comfortable for their picnic. "She was Daddy's favorite... They decided to name me after her..."

"Interesting... I actually once knew a girl with that name... She was with 'Uncle Claude' when Maman was too poor to take care of us on her own... She was the most wonderful friend I could ask for..."

Cherry was surprised to see Forte in a good mood. She then took out what was the chicken cordon bleu and looked curious of it, unsure if she should try it, since she believed the French ate snails and frog's legs. Forte told her to try it and assured her it was just melted cheese with smoked ham inside of chicken. Cherry was still hesitant, but she got a small piece and tried it and her eyes lit up.

"I guess le petite mademoiselle enjoys it..." Forte said in his exotic French accent, even if he wasn't naturally French himself.

"I don't get it..." Cherry said, though she did enjoy the chicken and didn't expect she would. "If you're English, why did you live in Paris?"

"Maman had to move us," Forte explained from his childhood memories, even though he was very old and weary now, he could still remember it like it was yesterday. "France was the first place she could think of... But, because of this, I'm strongly bilingual. Do you know what that means, child?"

"Yes, it means you speak two languages..." Cherry slightly rolled her eyes, unable to keep herself from doing so.

"Very good... You're a smart girl... That'll come more in handy than looks..."

"Don't remind me, I know all about what a girl needs... I evolved from middle school..."

Forte and Cherry then decided to eat a bit and take a talking break. Forte poured himself some of his drink as he gave Cherry some sparkling apple cider like on New Year's with her parents.

"Is that wine?" Cherry asked.

Forte glanced at her. "Oui..." he said rather suspiciously before he took a large sip.

* * *

Cherry wondered why he did that, but she just kept eating and drinking. This proved to be a much better picnic than anticipated. Forte was really enjoying his time with the girl and it seemed as though she completely lost her fear of him and so did he. He wasn't so much afraid of the girl herself, but more afraid that she would flat-out despise him for all he had done to her. They were indeed becoming friends, Forte just hoped maybe they would perhaps become something more. While Cherry ate, she started to feel like Belle with the Beast, she felt like there was something there in Forte that wasn't there before.

Forte felt the same way, even feeling what Adam had felt toward Belle when they were slowly becoming a couple before their first dance together on the ballroom. She glanced this way, he thought he saw, and when they touched, she didn't shudder at his touch. No, it couldn't be, he should just ignore, but then she had never looked at him that way before. Cherry wasn't exactly in love with Forte yet, she was blind towards his feelings for her. He didn't expect her to be in love with him back, but he was just flattered that he was able to spend this time with her. They even became more than student and teacher.

Cherry and Forte still educated each other on what they could. Cherry was getting skilled enough on organ that she could even make up her own songs and Forte would sit by and listen to her. She was learning a lot better than she used to and was giving him better respect, even when he came as an unexpected substitute teacher her for her school. She wasn't pleased at first, but they managed to work it out. Forte even rested a lot more peaceful than he had in years.

The pain that Forte went through years ago seemed to cease and desist. Cherry even surprised him by visiting on times or days when she wouldn't be forced to come over to be educated by him. They were now friends. Cherry was filling the eternal empty void Forte has been having for years and years on end. And she was the only one brave enough to go see him before leaving. Forte did think of Belle and Adam, but he kept it to himself most of the time, Cherry didn't even seem to mention them, she was more focused on her new life as she was slowly going to become an adult.

Forte felt older than Cherry's parents, well technically he was, but still... He knew Cherry since she was 10-years-old and she would be an adult pretty soon. Forte was also debating on whether he should tell Cherry how he feels or not. Right now, it might seem creepy if he does since he's so much older than her. Maybe he should wait until she's legally an adult, he was invited to her birthday party and high school graduation after all.


	11. Chapter 11

Cherry was growing older, Forte only left a present for her birthday and wouldn't really visit since he was sure that she would want some time away from him. He was right, but on her next birthday, he got her a coal-black dress with some matching dress shoes that glittered in the night.

Since Cherry was getting older, she could use some fashionable accessories than toys or treats, but he did usually and occasionally send her Kit Kats, knowing that she often craved them. On Valentine's Day, he even gave her a heart-shaped box filled with mini Kit Kats for her as a surprise.

Forte was still determined to tell her how he truly felt, but still wanted to wait until she was just a bit older. Maybe after her birthday when she would be in her senior year of high school would be appropriate. Also, the older Cherry got, the more social she had become, she has a lot more friends now, but they actually never came over.

Cherry was a lot more vocal and expressive now too. For some odd reason, Cherry had her friends, but she would still rather be home alone where she can have peace and quiet. Her parents worried about this, but Forte didn't want to be overbearing about it like they would. They decided to get to know each other a little bit better.

* * *

"Bonjour Cerise." Forte greeted her as it was another after school day after the new year, he actually spent New Year's Eve and New Year's Day away from Cherry and her family.

"Hello, Maestro..." Cherry greeted as she walked, carrying her backpack over to one of the tables away from the church's organ.

Forte closed his music book and sat across from her, resting his chin against his closed hands, as if to study her, but this was his method of helping her with her homework since she didn't want to spend after school with tutoring. "Math again?"

"Math seems like preschool addition with your teaching," Cherry looked to him. "It's chemistry."

"Ah, let me see..." Forte took her worksheets from school, knowing that science was one of her weaker subjects, but since he helped her stay on top of Math, maybe this would be a breeze too so she would be able to graduate. He couldn't believe she was almost at the end of her school career when she was nearly beginning when he had first met her. "Do you have a copy of the periodic table?"

"Yeah," Cherry slid it over to him. "I'm like the only one who keeps my copy of it. I swear, one kid bit out of his when the teacher gave him one."

Forte rolled his eyes. "Ugh... You slackers these days..."

"Did they have slackers when you were a kid?"

"Yes, but not as extreme... I remember when your parents were children, we had truant officers."

"What're those?"

Forte couldn't help but chuckle, her generation wasn't as strict about making sure kids went to school, of course she wouldn't know. "Basically people who make sure kids are in school and would drag them home and tell their parents that they would be playing hooky as it were."

"Hooky's such an old term," Cherry shrugged as she put her hand under her cheek, tapping her fingers against the table with her free hand. "What were you like as a child, Maestro?"

Forte looked to her, then shook his head. "Let's save that for until we finish your homework, shall we, Cerise?"

"Fine..."

Forte did help her and give her some answers here and there, but of course, to be a proper teacher, he would educate her through it. No matter how much not knowing strained her brain and made her struggle, he would force it down her throat like any ordinary teacher. Though, he would be more patient and help her out more than any other teacher in her school would be.

After the science homework, Cherry put it all up in her bag. Forte then decided to play on his organ and allow her to do what she wanted, so Cherry sketched a little bit at the table she did her homework at.

"Forte, what were you like...?" Cherry asked. "Um... When you were younger?"

Forte paused, then kept playing his gloomy tunes on his favorite musical instrument. "I was a very interesting child... I actually had a lot in common with you..."

"Really?"

"Oui... I was very nonconformist... I didn't have much friends growing up... Though, unlike you, minus my mother, my family was rather cold and unloving..."

"You told me you had a brother and a sister."

"Indeed... My brother was the eldest, so he was the boss... My sister wasn't as bad compared to him, I think she just followed the leader..." Forte gave a shrug about the one called Angelina.

"I always thought Angelique was your sister."

Forte jolted, she had mentioned someone in the distant past they had once known together, at least it wasn't Belle or Adam. "She does make me think of Angelina in some cases... Though sometimes I wonder if my sister just tried to run away from her problems and just became the castle decorator..."

Cherry shrugged.

"She had a child, due to being the female child, Angelina was forced to become in an arranged marriage with a man named Pierre, I was devastated for her, but she was insistent on marrying him..." Forte said as he played a tune that felt his mood like his music could symphasize with him. "They married... And he was angered with her... She had given birth to a girl and that was highly frowned upon..."

Cherry didn't like the sound of that. "Were a good uncle?"

Forte shrugged as he continued to play. "I believe I was... She often came to visit me whenever possible... She became like the daughter I had always wanted..."

"You sound so miserable to never had fallen in love, married, or have any children..."

Forte looked to her. "Why do you think I found happiness to be so-"

"Depressing?"

Forte nodded. "I just sometimes wish I could've changed that, but... Look at me..." he gestured to himself. "I'm so old, aged, and weary... No one could ever fall in love with someone like me..."

"I feel the same way..." Cherry climbed up onto the organ bench, joining him in a few notes of her own. "No one could fall in love with me..."

"I wouldn't say that, Cerise... Perhaps someone is too shy to tell you how they feel..."

Cherry glared up at him. "Don't make me laugh."

Forte chuckled in response, he gently stroked some of her hair behind her ear, making her flinch due to how ice cold his skin was, no matter how the weather was. "I'm also glad to see you out of the house... Not so absorbed in modern technology."

"I realized how despicable modern technology is the more time I've spent with you..." Cherry shrugged and hugged her knees, looking up at him, no matter what, he always towered over her, but now, not as much since she was older and he wasn't at least 20 feet tall now. "Too many people in my school are so dependent on it."

"I agree..." Forte patted her on the head this time.

Cherry grabbed his hand and forced it off from herself. "Stop touching me..."

"Désolé, Cerise."

"It's okay..."

Forte smiled once again, she was picking up on her French and knew that he was saying 'sorry' to her. Cherry didn't complain as much. Within the right time, he would make her become all his.


	12. Chapter 12

16-year-old Cherry entered the forced music classroom she was forced to take as a class. She liked the teacher, Mrs. Hale, she was fair, but strict, but Cherry just had no interest in playing a musical instrument or singing in a choir. This class felt forced to her because of that. When Cherry came in however, she saw at the teaching desk was Maestro Forte and not Mrs. Hale. Cherry marched toward Forte at the desk with anger.

" _What_ are _you_ doing here!?" Cherry sneered.

"I'm your new teacher, child," Forte replied, never-changing his emotionless tone of voice. "You will refer to me as Maestro Forte, not just Forte, am I clear?"

"I won't stand for this!" Cherry slammed her hands on the teacher desk.

Forte had to admit, her anger startled him, but it also made his heart race and stomach flutter like the millions of metaphorical butterflies inside. "Cerise, I am your teacher for the day, I suggest you sit down and go on with the lesson, you are not going anywhere for the next half hour. Now sit or else I'll be forced to call your parents or the principal."

Cherry growled low and sat in her chair, crossing her legs and folding her arms, glaring at him. Forte watched her as he took roll call and saw that Cherry didn't appear to have friends in this class. He also wasn't the official choice as the substitute, he took the papers handed to fill in and made it so he could spend more time with Cherry than just an hour after school. This would be the perfect opportunity, even though she clearly wasn't interested.

* * *

"Alright class," Forte stood after roll call, and held a book firmly between his bony hands. "Can any of you tell me the famed composer who had been writing symphonies since he was the mere age of five?"

A popular girl named Mackenzie raised her hand. "Mozart?" she guessed.

"Very good," Forte smirked. "You're smarter than you look..."

"Huh?" Mackenzie looked offended by his comment.

"I ask a question of Mozart, because according to the schedule, you're supposed to be taking a test on him," Forte walked to Cherry and handed her a handful of papers. "Cerise, would you pass these out?"

Cherry groaned and went to hand the papers to the other students of the class. The other students held their tests and pencils, and one of the boys named Austin raised his hand.

"Oui?" Forte pointed to him.

"Can we listen to music when we're done?" he asked.

Forte raised an eyebrow at him. "How on Earth could you do that unless I play the piano and others will be testing?"

"On an iPod... How else?" Austin was confused by his confusion.

"What on Earth is an iPod?" Forte asked.

The other students were shocked by his lack of knowledge on modern technology. They just shrugged it off and did their tests, even though most of them probably didn't care or bothered to study. Once Cherry finished her test, she came to him with a small device and a wire connected to it with headphones. "This is an iPod," Cherry told him. "You can download music from your computer and listen to it and these headphones play the music privately so only you can hear them and not bother anyone else."

"What an astounding idea..." Forte took the iPod and headphones in awestruck. He then looked back at her. "You finished your test?"

Cherry nodded.

"Good, good, you're a smart girl..." Forte patted her on the head, much to her disgust and annoyance.

"Whatever..." Cherry shrugged and put her hands in her jacket pocket. "What're you really doing here, Forte?"

Forte cleared his throat roughly.

Cherry groaned, rolled her eyes and heavily sighed. "What're you really doing here, _Maestro_ Forte?" she asked again, putting emphasis on his social title.

"To educate you while Madam Grele is out today."

"Madam Grele?"

"I believe the English translation is Mrs. Hale."

"Why can't you just learn to speak my language, I learned to eat your food!"

"Cerise, that's very unpleasant to say to a foreigner."

"Right... Sorry..."

"Why don't you go sit back down with your friends?"

Cherry looked at him like he spoke to her in just plain French. "I don't have any friends..."

"No friends?" Forte was shocked. "A girl like you?"

Cherry shook her head. "I haven't had a true friend since I was 10 years old... Now I'm just kind of a loner." Cherry put her hands in her pockets.

"Oh, Cerise..."

"It's nothing..."

Cherry went back to sit down and Forte couldn't help but feel a pange of guilt and sympathy. He didn't really have true friends himself. Growing up his siblings were always so harsh with him, they made fun of him just for being born. He had a bad case of depression even at such a young age.

* * *

Plus, his mother was rarely home, she had to find work in order to raise three children alone when his father left the family shortly after his birth. They had to live with relatives, mainly Uncle Claude, who was more of a father to him, even if his siblings were insanely jealous and tried to get rid of him. Forte took the job to work under King Gabriel and Queen Evelina before their only child Adam was born and he took over the throne, when his parents died young, they even had to call six-year-old Adam, 'Master'.

Forte had such a hard life, he didn't want Cherry to end up like him. He was like a second father to her when she was forced to spend her first Christmas without her parents at such a young age. Forte still wanted to talk to Cherry as he watched her sit bored at her chair, waiting impatiently for the other students to finish the lesson, but since there was a test out, conversation was forbidden. The test finished finally, and Forte collected their tests, very aggravated that most students didn't even attempt or leave most of the paper blank.

* * *

"Children these days..." Forte mumbled to himself. He put the papers down and looked back at the class as there was still a bit of class left. "You may work on something for another class, do any homework assignments or read."

"Can we listen to music?" Jimmy asked.

"Non." Forte shook his head. "Unless I provide you music, there will be no technological music uses."

"What does that mean in English?" Clark asked.

"No music unless he plays it for us, idiot." Cherry glared at him.

"She called me an idiot!" Clark yelled like a whiny kid.

"Really? I had no idea, what a remarkable observation you have, young sir." Forte replied sarcastically with a chuckle. "Now, silence while I grade your tests!"

* * *

The other students were silent as told and Cherry continued to sit boredly and pick the crud out from under her fingernails. The bell rang to release the students and Forte was very dismayed to see Cherry leave. He would see her afterward, but still, it felt like an eternity. It was always difficult for him to be without her, she was great company.

She was almost like the daughter he never had when she was a child, and now as a high school student, she really blossomed into a beautiful teenage girl, soon to ride the train to adulthood. Forte still couldn't believe that she didn't already have a boyfriend, though once he thought about it and saw the male student population of her school, he couldn't blame her. Forte often wondered if Cherry would be interested in someone like him, they had a lot in common as she grew older.

Forte taught the other students, but it wasn't the same without Cherry to be there, even if she was very rude to him at the start of class. While they did their tests, Forte kept thinking about Cherry. He wanted to be her friend, comrade, anything of the sort, just not how she viewed him all those years ago. He even wanted her to sing, even though she kept flat-out refusing.

* * *

Before everyone knew it, it was 3:25 and time to go home. Cherry rode home on the bus and she was walking to her house, passing the church Forte stayed in, and making it seem haunted before they met up again. Cherry noticed Forte had beaten her home.

"How'd you get here so fast?" she asked. "You don't drive!"

"I have my ways," Forte put his hands behind his back, looking down at her. "Don't you have homework?"

"I did it all during lunch, I had to get my mind other things besides food and the lack of social health."

"I simply can't believe you don't have any friends, you're a remarkable girl, Cerise..."

"Sure, I am," Cherry scoffed. "I guess we should start lessons, huh?"

"Come inside, Cerise." Forte led Cherry to follow him inside the church to get on with the hour meeting.

"What do you want me to do today, Maestro?" Cherry asked, sliding off her backpack and sitting next to him on the bench. "Scales? Arpeggios? Keys?"

Forte shook his head. "I want you to sing for me."

"Sing? I already told you, I can't sing!" Cherry protested.

"Can't or won't?" Forte raised a perfectly arched eyebrow.

"Both!"

"Cerise... I am your mentor, if I tell you to sing, you should sing..."

"You won't like my singing..."

"You have a lovely voice just as gentle as the rusting winter wind though... Now sing..."

"What should I sing?"

"Any song that suits you..."

"I heard this one song that makes me think of how I view myself around others..."

"Excellent, now sing..." Forte played a slow tune on his keyboard to prompt her into singing.

Cherry released a cold sigh, and looked at him like she were going to cry. She then decided to do it to get it over with. She started to sing a song from a movie she grew up with. She sang from Mulan and sang from the song she related to the most: Reflection. She felt like she couldn't fit in anywhere and she got very emotional as she sang every verse and was nearly crying.

Cherry's eyes stung with tears and she buried her face in her hands to let out a cry. Forte's face was too heavy to bear a smile for her singing, and it dropped to a frown with dewy eyes as well. He took out his handkerchief from his coat pocket and handed it to Cherry. The morbid teenager took it as a token, wiped her eyes and let her pain-free so she could feel better.

* * *

"Cerise... That was the most miserable singing I've ever heard in all my 300 years on this planet..." Forte drawled once she was able to make conversation.

"Merci, Maestro..." Cherry sniffled and choked a little from her hard tears.

Forte got up for a moment, went to the sink with a clean glass and came back with the glass full of fresh water.

"Merci, again..." Cherry took the glass and drank slowly with a gulp, wiping her wet eyes. "Sorry for crying..."

"It's good to cry, Cerise. It's good that you let your emotions out instead of keeping them bottled up inside like a Vulcan."

"Okay, so you know what a Vulcan is and yet you don't know what an iPod is?" Cherry glinted her eyes at him.

"I'm not perfect, Cerise..." Forte looked dully at her.

"That's for sure." Cherry playfully hit him on the shoulder.

Forte groaned and rubbed his shoulder from the sudden pain impact. "You should sing more often..." he uttered out.

"I'd break the sound barrier..."

"Well, you sing better than I do."

"You sounded like you wanted to die rather than sing a happy Christmas song like Deck the Halls."

"Happiness is just so-"

"Depressing?" Cherry finished for him.

"Yes..." Forte's eyes widened and smirked. "You finished my sentence... I wonder if that means anything..."

"Of course it means something," Cherry remarked. "It means you're a predictable man."

Forte sighed aggravated, glancing down at her. "Cerise... If I became a permanent teacher, would you enjoy classes?"

"I think so... You're actually pretty interesting..."

"I am?"

"Well, I think you are," Cherry tried to explain. "I tend to like a lot of teachers everyone else hates. Teachers need to be more strict and tough, but fun. You're an example of that. Mrs. Hale was too, but you made it more enjoyable. I don't know if I'll become a composer or singer myself, but I'll think about it..."

"Merci, Cerise..." Forte sounded like he nearly had emotion in his voice.

The hour happened quickly just as it started. Forte let Cherry leave for home as usual, Forte watched her leave. He had thoughts then about becoming a permanent teacher at Cherry's school. Maybe, just maybe...


	13. Chapter 13

Forte remembered that Cherry had wanted him to go out there in the world and get a girlfriend, but he was too old. Forte told her the same, but he couldn't find the right person for her to go out with. He then decided to use some rare abilities that he had in his 384 years of life, going on 400 with no signs or hope of the peacefulness that death had to offer.

Forte suggested he could go out with Cherry himself, but she said it would be creepy because of how much older he was compared to her, so he transformed himself into a gothic teenager with silky black hair in an Emo cut. Valentine's Day came and he came to the front door of Cherry's home and knocked on it.

* * *

Michelle opened the door in surprise to see the younger Forte without knowing it was him as he carried dead, wilting flowers with Kit Kats. "Oh, hello there..." she smiled slightly.

"Can Cer-... _Cherry_ come out?" he asked quietly.

Michelle put up a finger and walked away from the door, shutting it to keep the warm air inside the house as winter was nearly ending.

* * *

Cherry walked to the door and recognized him anywhere as she saw him, even though he was now the same age as her, but looked like a modern goth teenage boy and she actually had on the dress and shoes he got for her on Christmas, but still her jacket for their date. "You're asking me out?" she droned to him.

"If I don't, who will?" Forte held out his hand to her.

Cherry took his hand, then looked back. "Mom, I'm going out!" she called.

"Okay, luv, have a good time!" Michelle called, so happy that Cherry was finally going to have a boyfriend.

Cherry and Forte walked together up the road as there was a small gas station they could eat at as their first date. Forte got the door for her and everything, giving her her Valentine's Day treats. Cherry had to admit that she was flattered by his tokens of appreciation for her. What would they talk about though other than school and their miserable lives though?

* * *

"This is totally pointless." Cherry said after she ordered a chicken sandwich for herself with some fries and a Sprite while Forte took a hamburger with fries.

"Everything's pointless... Wanna talk about it?"

Cherry glanced at him and shrugged. "Why do you really wanna ask me out on a date?"

"Cerise... I really care about you..." Forte stroked her face, making her shake chills down her spine, but not as much, she was used to it now. "I've been waiting all my life for the perfect woman... And she was right in front of me all along..."

Cherry glanced at him. "You were in love with Belle?"

Forte wrinkled his nose in disgust. "No! I mean you, Cerise... Yes, you were a little girl when we first met, but you're really growing into the woman I treasure..."

"This friend of mine wanted me to try you out too..."

"Oh?"

"She said we had a lot in common... We both hate love, love death, and doom and gloom."

Forte cracked a smile. "That we do... And you promise me that I didn't cause it?"

"You made me realize that I am the way I am... I always felt so different... Sometimes... I feel like... I'm an alien abandoned on this planet..."

Forte took her hands, they felt so warm and comforting despite her cold demeanor, that was another thing they had in common. "You really are different compared to your family and everyone else around you..." he agreed with her on the alien part.

Their waiter came back with their food. Forte let Cherry have his fries while he barely ate his burger. Cherry seemed to stare into his soul whenever she took an aggressive bite out of her burger. Cherry and Forte both looked physically and mentally sick to their stomachs to see the other people enjoying Valentine's Day, being so happy and carefree, it made them both feel weak and disgusted.

* * *

"Want to go to the cemetery after this?" Forte offered. "We'll get ice cream after..."

Cherry put down her wrapping after balling it up and putting it into the fry basket. "I would actually enjoy that very much, Forte..."

* * *

After their dinner, Forte put Cherry's jacket back on and they went to get a dollar ice cream and they walked together along the cemetery, passing the various tombstones. A lot of people came to the cemetery to mourn the people they had lost, especially in Memorial Day, but Cherry and Forte treated it like a boardwalk or a playground of sorts. They even sat together on top of a hill that looked out to the rest of the graves, they were at the grave of Cherry's ancestor who was the first one in the family history book from the 17th century.

"How long have you felt like you were an alien, Cerise?" Forte asked her as he put his arm around her while he finished off his plain ice cream cone.

"Since as long before I can even remember..." Cherry droned as she looked at the blocked sky with no hope of sunshine or happiness for anyone else in the world. "I sometimes have these dreams that I'm a baby and I was sent off from somewhere... And I woke up in the hospital and I'm taken to my mom... I'm just not sure..."

Forte hummed, he wished that he could help her somehow. "Well, I'm not sure if you're an alien or not... But there is definetly something off about you... Oh, no offense..."

"None taken, I'm used to it..." Cherry shrugged. "Sometimes I wish I couldn't age... But there's no way... Unless I die..."

Forte gaped at her. She had better not kill herself on his watch. He was told about the horrible stories before he came back that when she was in middle school that she was so lonely that she was nearly suicidal.

"So, you'll be graduating soon..." Forte said to break the depressing tension.

"Yes, I suppose I will... But before that, it'll be time for my birthday..."

"Indeed..."

"When's your birthday?"

"Cerise, forgive me, but I come from a time in where birthdays weren't celebrated," Forte looked down to her. "We had other things to worry about than that nonsense."

"Understood..." Cherry nodded while she licked the sweet and ticklish taste that was the strawberry ice cream from the local market up the road from her house.

Forte and Cherry were unknowingly linking their hands together as they finished off their desert. Cherry wiped her mouth, due to being a slightly messy eater, then finished off her cone and wrapped up her dessert, finishing it off.

"You really care about me..." Cherry looked to him once they walked together to finish their walk and their 'date'.

"Of course I do... I always have and never would stop..."

"I might be married already by the time you pop the question to me..."

Forte blinked. "I'm not so sure about that..." he murmured.

"You seem pretty sure of yourself, Maestro..."

"Cerise, when it's just you and me and I'm in this form," Forte looked back at her delicately. "Will you call me 'Charles'?"

Cherry looked curiously back at him. "That's your first name?"

Forte nodded. "Oui, it is..."

Cherry was a little surprised, felt so odd to know his first name after this long. But she agreed to it. "Okay... Charles..."

Forte smiled to her. That was going to become the first of many times she would call him such a thing. And almost no angst in her tone of voice whenever she would say it. At least, not for now, he would think or hope so.


End file.
